Viewer mail! Someone sent an email to KRTV with the subject line GAFFE that reads:

In this story you should know the way to the Soviet Union from the West Coast, which includes California AND Mexico, is via the Pacific Ocean. For shame.

Well, thanks very much, but the fact is — that’s what Briggs told the person who drove him to Missoula. Here’s what the article says:

The person who drove Briggs told the FBI that during the trip to Missoula, Briggs talked of his travel plans. Briggs reportedly said that he planned to go to Seattle, then head south through Oregon and California and enter Mexico without using a border station. He allegedly said he planned to move between homeless shelters, while earning enough money to continue traveling. Briggs said he would keep traveling south and planned to take a ship across the Atlantic to Russia, where he could avoid extradition.

So it’s not like as I was typing up the article, I just sort of guessed that Briggs would cross…um…the Arctic Ocean? No, no…how about the Indian Ocean? No, that’s not it. Got it – Briggs will cross the ATLANTIC Ocean! Yeah, that’s it!

Nope, the information is what was reported by law enforcement, and is based on what Briggs supposedly told the person who gave him a ride to Missoula. Maybe geography is not Briggs’ strong suit?

And the other reason the viewer mail rankled: um, dude…the Soviet Union hasn’t existed since 1991. More than TWO DECADES.

Russia is on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, but the USSR ain’t. For shame.